Why do I keep getting UTI's?

Question

It mostly occurs after sexual intercourse...I was getting UTI's like once a month! My boyfriend and I thought it was the condoms, so we changed to latex free- they helped considerably and I havn't had a UTI for a while, until just recently! Its really annoying as I have taken all the precautions to stop them from happening, but they keep coming back :(

Answer 1

Two tips. Drink more cranberry juice and pee after sexual contact. Something in the cranberry juice helps your body ward off those infections, and peeing helps flush out UTI bacteria before they can wiggle up your stuff and cause trouble. Honest!

Answer 2

UTI’s caused by: Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus saprophyticus. Less common organisms include Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterococcus spp.

You can prevent it by :
Having adequate fluid intake, especially water.
Not resisting the urge to urinate.
Taking showers, not baths, or urinating soon after taking a bath.
Practicing good hygiene, including wiping from the front to the back to avoid contamination of the urinary tract by faucal pathogens.
Cleaning the urethral meatus (the opening of the urethra) after intercourse has been shown to be of some benefit; however, whether this is done with an antiseptic or a placebo ointment (an ointment containing no active ingredient) does not appear to matter.
Cleaning genital areas prior to and after sexual intercourse.
For sexually active women, and to a lesser extent men, urinating within 15 minutes of sexual intercourse to allow the flow of urine to expel the bacteria before specialized extensions anchor the bacteria to the walls of the urethra.
It has been advocated that cranberry juice can decrease the incidence of UTI. A specific type of tannin found only in cranberries and blueberries prevents the adherence of certain pathogens (e.g. E. coli) to the epithelium of the urinary bladder.

Answer 3

Are you using spermicidal condoms? Those can cause UTIs. There are a lot of other factors, too... Assuming you keep your parts clean, does his penis ever go anywhere near your butt when you're fooling around before sex? Because if so, the bacteria can collect on his penis and then make there way up your urethra. Also, just vigorous sex -- it can drive skin cells and other foreign matter into the urethra.

I used to get UTIs fairly regularly. My doc told me to drink a glass of cranberry juice every morning and every night (100% juice, not the fake stuff). She also told me to pee within 10 minutes of having sex EVERY TIME. (It clears out any nastiness that may have crawled up your urethra during sex.) I also take cranberry pills every day, just to be on the safe side. Since I started doing these things, I haven't had a single UTI. Try it...it works.

Answer 4

this is going to sound really awful-but are you sure your boyfriend is not the one giving them to you. this is not something anyone wants to think about but if he's bouncing between partners-he sharing germs with everyone. not saying that's what's happenening in your case-but just a thought.

most common cause of uti's are the change of sexual partners. this is what my dr told me when i got my first one.

if you are sure he's not the cause-then make an appt to see your dr. chronic uti's are a sign that's something is wrong-i always get them at least once every few months but mine are awful b/c i don't usually have symptoms until my kidneys are infected-i've been hospitalized for it 3 times. my doctor tells me i'm just suseptible to them-especially after sex and it's not my partner-we've been together for two years and have no contact with anyone else.

Recurrent UTIs can occur for many reasons, including:

-problems with the immune system
-the use of a urinary catheter to empty the bladder
-abnormalities in kidneys, ureters, bladder or urethra can cause repeated infections. The ureters are tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. The urethra is a tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.
-damage to part of the urinary system
-sexual intercourse, which seems to trigger UTI in some women
-poor hygiene, such as wiping from back to front after a bowel movement or not changing the underwear often.

make sure to go to the bathroom directly after intercourse and shower too-it won't hurt-you need to make sure no germs have a chance to get into your urinary tract.

Answer 5

Are you getting it from your bf?

Patients with recurrent UTIs may need further investigation. This may include ultrasound scans of the kidneys and bladder or intravenous urography (X-rays of the urological system following intravenous injection of iodinated contrast material).

Often long courses of low dose antibiotics are taken at night to help prevent otherwise unexplained cases of recurring cystitis.

*****************

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection of the urinary tract. An infection anywhere from the kidneys to the ureters to the bladder to the urethra qualifies as a urinary tract infection.

Symptoms & Signs
Urethritis: discomfort or pain at the urethral meatus or a burning sensation throughout the urethra with micturition (dysuria).
Cystitis: pain in the midline suprapubic region and/or frequent urination
Hematuria (bloody urine)
Cloudy and foul-smelling urine
High temperature lasting for more than 3 days should be a trigger to get the urine culture done to ascertain whether the fever is due to UTI or not. UTI is very harmful especially in infants since it can cause permanent renal damage.
Nausea and vomiting, accompanied by high fever may indicate a more complicated UTI in which the kidney is infected
Some urinary tract infections are asymptomatic.
Increased confusion and associated falls are common presentations to Emergency Departments for elderly patients with UTI.

Prevention
The following are a list of things that can be done to avoid a urinary tract infection. As many people, especially women, experience recurrent infections some commonly recommended preventative measures are:

Having adequate fluid intake, especially water.
Not resisting the urge to urinate.
Taking showers, not baths, or urinating soon after taking a bath.
Practising good hygiene, including wiping from the front to the back to avoid contamination of the urinary tract by faecal pathogens.
Cleaning the urethral meatus (the opening of the urethra) after intercourse has been shown to be of some benefit; however, whether this is done with an antiseptic or a placebo ointment (an ointment containing no active ingredient) does not appear to matter.[1]
Cleaning genital areas prior to and after sexual intercourse.
For sexually active women, and to a lesser extent men, urinating within 15 minutes of sexual intercourse to allow the flow of urine to expel the bacteria before specialized extensions anchor the bacteria to the walls of the urethra.
It has been advocated that cranberry juice can decrease the incidence of UTI. A specific type of tannin found only in cranberries and blueberries prevents the adherence of certain pathogens (eg. E. coli) to the epithelium of the urinary bladder.

Most uncomplicated UTIs can be treated with oral antibiotics such as trimethoprim, cephalosporins, Macrodantin, or a fluoroquinolone (e.g. ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin). (Whilst co-trimoxazole was previously used (and continues to be used in the U.S.), the additional benefits of the sulphonamide gave little additional benefit compared to the trimethoprim component alone, but was responsible for its both high incidence of mild allergic reactions and rare but serious complications).

If the patient has symptoms consistent with pyelonephritis, intravenous antibiotics may be indicated.

Answer 6

No swapping of entry ports, that's an obvious one. Position has an effect - do you find you get them more with a specific "congress"? Bubble baths and too much soda can make it easier to get a UTI, too.

Answer 7

i "thought" the same thing every month i would get a "uti" but it was just from not being completly ready and not enough lube. and being well flat out rough. ;) but the next day or up to 2 days later it went away

Answer 8

too much dairy